Prasad was convicted in 1992 after the case dragged on for seven years. He was given a one-year jail term but was freed as he appealed the sentence shortly after, Reuters reported.

An Indian higher court reduced Prasad's sentence Tuesday, saying that the bribe was too small for more. He did however, sentence the doctor to three months as he was guilty of the crime, Reuters reported.

"The case was also dragging and the bribe money was too small, so Prasad thought he would get a reprieve from the court," prosecution lawyer Vipin Kumar Sinha told reporters after the verdict. "But all the charges has been proved against him."

The Indian justice system often moves quite slowly and a single case can drag on for decades with endless hearings.